Salute to cancel annual Veteran tribute show

For the first time since 2001, a staple in Kinston around Veteran’s Day won’t be displayed.

The “Salute! A Tribute to America’s Veterans” event will go without its annual tribute show at Grainger Hill Performing Arts Center.

“We weren’t able to find a director in time,” Salute committee member Eric Cantu said. “Hopefully, we can do more in the upcoming year.”

Still, Salute will have plenty of events for the public from Nov. 8-10, excluding a military artifacts and art display, which will be held on Nov. 5 at the Kinston Community Council for the Arts.

There will be an honorary brick dedication at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Walk of Honor at Tiffany West Park on Herritage Street. The festivities will continue at 7 p.m. with an open art reception at the Arts Council. The Tar River Community Band from Greenville will provide music.

On Nov. 9, the 12th annual Veteran’s Day Parade will be held. The parade will line up in the McDonald’s parking lot on West Vernon Street at 10 a.m. and the procession will commence an hour later. The route will go through Herritage Street and end at the 9/11 Memorial at Pearson Park on West North Street.

There will be a Veteran’s Day celebration at the park with a brief ceremony and the Order of the Arrow Boy Scouts doing a Native American-Indian dance for war veterans.

“Some of the veterans get involved with the Boy Scouts and do that dance,” Cantu said. “Also, we’ll have speeches, and seats for those who can’t stand.”

The three-day event will end on Nov. 10 with a memorial service for deceased veterans at 2:30 p.m. The service will be held at American Legion Post 43 on North McLewean Street with light hors d’oeuvres served. The event is sponsored by the American Legion and the VFW Auxiliary.

Overall, Cantu said he is excited for the event, as well as plans for veterans in the workings, including a Veteran’s museum and coffee shop and permission from the N.C. Division of State Historic Sites and Properties to relocate the Korean/Vietnam War Monument from its current location on Vernon Avenue to Tiffany Street in downtown Kinston.

“It’s just a marvelous thing,” Cantu said. “Veterans who have given their lives to defend this country have allowed us to assemble and inspire these types of events.”

All events will be free to the public.

Junious Smith III can be reached at 252-559-1077 and Junious.Smith@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JuniousSmithIII.